Preakness thread

[Glimmerglass]

If you buy into the crystal Ball, psychic and tarrot card crowd (the former not to be confused with the hit song by Styx) then pass on that wager for Big Brown to win the Preakness

Therail - NewYorkTimes - May 11

The celebrity psychic Judi Hoffman correctly predicted on a radio show in January that Eliot Spitzer would not finish his term as the governor of New York. She also knew of Scarlett Johansson’s engagement to her fellow actor Ryan Reynolds before Scarlett did.

Imagine, then, how good she must be at betting on horses. In fact, she demonstrated her talents when she packaged Big Brown (20), Eight Belles (5) and Denis of Cork (16) in a trifecta box for the Kentucky Derby, winning $1,619 on a $6 bet. Her proof, she says, is in the tickets below from the Off-Track Betting parlor on Third Avenue at 44th Street in Manhattan.

Her early feelings are Big Brown will not win the Preakness, finishing second instead. She also has a good vibe about Harlem Rocker, if he is entered, and “gold” keeps popping into her head, but she can’t figure out why.

Interesting

[Glimmerglass]

As for Harlem Rocker he worked out with confirmed Preakness starter, Behindatthebar, at Belmont today going 5F in 59.63 with Angel Cordero, Jr up.

Pletcher indicated that a final decision won’t be made until Monday after he speaks with owner Frank Stronach but Harlem Rocker likely be entered in to the Preakness.

If Harlem Rocker runs in the Preakness, he would most likely be the second betting choice behind Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown.

[Glimmerglass]

Another camp that isn’t afraid of BB: Baltimore Sun 5-11 “Kentucky Bear’s trainer confident going into Preakness”

excerpt

Trainer Reade Baker looked around the Pimlico Stakes barn Saturday morning. What he saw was the rain pounding on the roof and, aside from his Preakness entry Kentucky Bear, a lot of empty stalls.

"I’m from the old school,’’ Baker said. "I’ve been in this a long time, and I’ve always thought you take a good horse to a big race early.

"I want my horse here. I want to take him to the track and breeze him and see how he likes it. I want to take him to the paddock and school him in the gate. I want to do everything I can to make him as familiar and comfortable on race day as I can. That’s what great horsemen did. I guess these modern guys have different ways of doing things.’’

[Glimmerglass]

Assoc Press 5-11-08 “Big Brown revels in racing spotlight”

Sounds like is like Secretariat - he didn’t care for the winner’s garland of Derby flowers

The only thing that bothers Big Brown, it seems, are flowers.

When it came time to take photos in the winner’s circle following the Derby, Dutrow bucked tradition by throwing the blanket of roses at Nevin and Blum rather than lay it over Big Brown’s neck.

Nevin and Blum dutifully held the flowers for a moment, then dropped the blanket on the ground to join the party, leaving the most hallowed floral arrangement in sports laying on the infield for a few hours before it was rescued by a state trooper.

The blanket remains in pretty good shape, though Big Brown largely ignores the roses during his daily hot walks around the barn. He’s more interested in getting his next treat. The sound of a candy wrapper crinkling is enough to get him to stop what he’s doing and look over with his pleading brown eyes.

[Glimmerglass]

Is Dutrow scared of Harlem Rocker - nah:

Of the new shooters, Dutrow says he likes Harlem Rocker, who comes into the Preakness with the same 3-0 record Big Brown had entering the Derby.

“I’ve seen him run last time and he looked very good,” Dutrow said, referring to Harlem Rocker’s win in the Withers Stakes at Aqueduct last month. “He’s got a little buzz about him. That’s about as far as I see.”

Still as the trainer of Kentucky Bear, Reade Baker, said best: “Let’s not get Big Brown in the Hall of Fame too soon here”

(Edited to give credit to the correct trainer/horse combo! I still will stick with my diss’ on Giant Moon)

[Glimmerglass]

A bit more on Big Brown and flowers: Louisville Courier-Journal 5-12-08 “Don’t say it with flowers”

Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown might be the perfect fit for a marketing relationship with UPS, but he wouldn’t be a good pitchman for FTD Florists.

When it comes to Big Brown, you could call it the Run from the Roses.

Said Dutrow: “[the banket of flowers in the Florida Derby] scared the hell out of him, so I’m not going to let that happen to him anymore. It’s not important. As soon as we saw them, we said, ‘They can’t come around the horse. Just give them to us.’ We did the best we could presenting the flowers with the horse in the winner’s circle. But they weren’t going to come around Big Brown.”

So whether unbeaten Big Brown wins or loses Saturday’s 1 3/16-mile Preakness Stakes, don’t look for the blanket of faux black-eyed Susans (they’re actually dyed daisies this time of year) to be nearby.

[Texarkana]

Psst… Reade Baker trains Kentucky Bear. Rick Schosberg trains Giant Moon.

And don’t get me started on either of them. :lol:

[Texarkana]

So is anyone exciting aiming at the Black Eyed Susan/Pimlico Special/Preakness undercard… aside from Malibu Moonshine in an AOC race on Friday??? (he’s also entered in an ungraded stakes Thurs at Belmont so I imagine he’ll probably take that spot)

I haven’t heard a peep about who might be running the Pimlico Special…

[Texarkana]

Duh, you can tell I haven’t had enough caffeine this morning.

The entries are up for Friday’s card at Pimlico.

10th (4:40)
Maryland Lottery Pimlico Special H. (G1)

1 3/16 Miles | Open | 4 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $250,000

1 Ryan’s for Real Rodriguez E D 115 LA
2 Gottcha Gold Lopez C C 118 L
3 Student Council Bridgmohan S X 118 LA
4 A. P. Arrow Dominguez R A 122 LA
5 Xchanger Gomez G K 115 LA
6 Wanderin Boy Desormeaux K J 118 LA
7 Grasshopper Albarado R J 117 L
8 Sir Whimsey Prado E S 117 LA
9 Temporary Saint Velazquez J R 114 LA

12th (5:45)
Black-Eyed Susan S. (G2)

1 1/8 Miles | Fillies | 3 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $200,000

Post # Horse Jockey Weight Claim Price Equip. Med.
1 Sweet Vendetta Hill C 122 LA
2 Maren’s Meadow Saez G 122 LA
3 Sherine Garcia Alan 122 L
4 Highest Class Albarado R J 116 LA
5 Bsharpsonata Camacho E 122 LA
6 Seattle Smooth Prado E S 122 L
7 One Step Ahead Morales P 116 L
8 Shes All Eltish Gomez G K 122 L
9 Pious Ashley Desormeaux K J 116 L

A-Coupled: Sherine and Pious Ashley

[Drvmb1ggl3]

The field for the Pimlico Special.

1 Ryan’s for Real
2 Gottcha Gold
3 Student Council
4 A. P. Arrow
5 Xchanger
6 Wanderin Boy
7 Grasshopper
8 Sir Whimsey
9 Temporary Saint

Kind of a sad reflection on the quality of the older horse division. I wonder if they’ll get much better for the Stephen F. Foster?

[Drvmb1ggl3]

Didn’t they used to run this race right before the Preakness? What’s with the Friday?

[Glimmerglass]

We’ll see if some sport held not even on this continent will again intrude upon ESPN’s claimed lived coverage of the selections …

The post position draw for the Preakness will be held on Wednesday at 5 p.m. (EDT) at the ESPN Zone in downtown Baltimore. The event will be televised live on ESPN2. The Preakness is limited to 14 starters.

The $1 million Preakness will be televised by NBC. Post time is 6:15 p.m. EDT

I know that Gottcha Gold - who is stablemate to Hey Byrn - will be in the $250k Grade 1 Pimlico Special and likely as well Ryan’s for Real.

There was a blurb late last month out there that said Maryland Jockey Club was “near closing a sponsorship deal that would pay for half” of the Pimlico Special’s $250,000 purse. Since that wasn’t announced - as best as I can tell - then I can only assume they lack a marketing department or the deal never happened.

As for any hype with the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan … I can’t find one. Again, Magna is no CDI when it comes to selling these big events to the media and public.

[Texarkana]

I know the Pimlico Special was on Friday the past several years prior to its absense last year. I’m not sure if it has always been on Friday, though.

It’s sad to think in its last running we had Invasor. And look at our older dirt horses now. You’ve got Xchanger in a G1 field for cripes sake.

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=Texarkana;3205620]
And look at our older dirt horses now. You’ve got Xchanger in a G1 field for cripes sake.[/QUOTE]

Yes, but will Miss Cleo or rather “celebrity psychic Judi Hoffman” pick Xchanger to win the Pimlico Special - that’s what people are wondering. Just call 1-800 …, oops better not put in the number or else I’ll give WarranT ideas for his “this isn’t advertising” wagering postings

[Texarkana]

:lol::lol::lol:

If I call a 1-800 psychic hotline and they tell me Xchanger is going to win the Special, I think I’ll know they’re bogus.

So it looks like it’s only one re-runner from the Oaks in the Black-Eyed Susan as well…

I’m a little surprised Golden Doc A isn’t taking a stab at it. Barry Abrams seems to have no problem running her back every 2 weeks any other time. Heck, he ran her twice in one week last fall.

[Glimmerglass]

That’s a big no to the prospect of Harlem Rocker going into the Preakness.

Instead he’s going up to Frank’s adopted country of Canada for the $1 million Queen’s Plate in June

In terms of the Pimlico Special, while the names aren’t “big” as per say the field is still solid - all nine horses in the lineup are graded winners.

If they could’ve bumped the purse up to $750k they might have found a few more takers, but its not like there are a lot of household name one-time TC trail runners from last year still out there at the G1 level

[WhiteCamry]

@Glimmerglass;3205850

That’s a big no to the prospect of Harlem Rocker going into the Preakness.

Instead he’s going up to Frank’s adopted country of Canada for the $1 million Queen’s Plate in June

In terms of the Pimlico Special, while the names aren’t “big” as per say the field is still solid - all nine horses in the lineup are graded winners.

If they could’ve bumped the purse up to $750k they might have found a few more takers, but its not lot there are a household name one-time TC trail runners from last year still out there at the G1 level

Did the psychics see that one coming?:rolleyes:

[Texarkana]

Good lord, can nobody make up their minds??? I bet the psychics didn’t see this one coming, either.

Gayego likely to run in Preakness

Gayego, who won the Arkansas Derby but then was 17th in the Kentucky Derby, is under serious consideration for the Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico, trainer Paulo Lobo said Monday afternoon.

“I’m going to see how he gallops Tuesday,” said Lobo, who is based at Hollywood Park. “He’s doing very well. If everything is good, there’s a very good chance he’ll go.”

Lobo said Mike Smith, Gayego’s regular rider, has the call for the Preakness.

The trainer said Gayego likely would fly to Baltimore on Wednesday.

[Glimmerglass]

While “the celebrity psychic” Judi Hoffman did get the trifecta keep in mind she boxed it so that is not exactly ‘clear as a bell’ with her “vision” prowess

Interesting to see Gayego mentioned for the Preakness. I’ve looked but didn’t see chatter about the local boy, “Cave’s Valley”, making a stab at it too. This would be the first year in a while that some horse-for-course Pimlico runner isn’t slipped into the mix. From Water Cannon to Magic Weisner there have been a series of runners.

Do we have amongst the contenders this years Red Bullet who crashed speeder FuPeg’s TC dreams in 2000? Red Bullet Looks to be doing just fine at stud in Florida.

As for Frank Stronach: the fact $1M Canadian is about equal to $1M US and that Harlem Rocker stands a better chance up north of getting in the winner’s circle must be a factor

[Drvmb1ggl3]

No reason Harlem Rocker can’t run in the Preakness and then go up north and annex the Queen’s Plate (his original goal). The latter isn’t run until the June 22nd.